The invention disclosed herein relates generally to tape handling apparatus, particularly tape cutting systems and components thereof, and more particularly to tape cutting systems and components thereof for cutting tape in a mailing machine after imprinting thereof.
It s desirable for a mailing machine to process different sizes and types of mail quickly and efficiently. It is also desirable for a mailing machine to imprint postage and like indicia either directly on the mail piece or on a tape strip which is thereafter affixed to a mail piece that may be too large or too irregularly shaped to imprint postage indicia directly thereon. Moreover, for high-speed operation, it is desirable that the mailing machine selectively imprint either the mail piece or a tape without shutting down the machine to changeover from imprinting mail pieces to tape and vice versa. It is also desirable for a mailing machine to imprint different types of tape, for example, a tape having a water-activate adhesive and a tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
The present invention is an improvement over the tape cutting module disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 135,107.